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17.06.2004 General News

President Kufuor lauds improved Ghana-France relations

17.06.2004 LISTEN
By GNA

Kumasi, June 17, GNA - President John Agyekum Kufuor on Thursday expressed satisfaction with improved relations between Ghana and France. He referred to France's assistance in the building of the Kofi Annan Centre and the role played by Societe Generale Internationale (SGI) in the AngloGold and Ashanti Goldfields merger.

President Kufuor also expressed happiness that there were other French companies in Ghana contributing in various ways to national development and called for more of such assistance to further strengthen bilateral co-operation.

President Kufuor was speaking during a meeting with Mr Xavier Darcos, the French Minister of State for Co-operation and Francophone Development, who is in Kumasi as part of a two-day working visit to Ghana.

Mr John Michelle Beritt, the French Ambassador to Ghana, accompanied Mr Darcos, who is leading a six-man delegation to the ancient Ashanti City.

President Kufuor, in Kumasi to attend a funeral, said Ghana was stepping up its efforts in the study of the French language to bridge the language and cultural barriers with the neighbouring countries. Mr Darcos lauded Ghana for being one of the two countries that had reached the completing point of the Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative.

He expressed the hope that the Government would take advantage of the benefits to be derived from HIPC to sustain economic growth to facilitate more economic and social benefits to the people.

Mr Darcos praised Ghana as a model in the West Africa Sub-Region for playing an essential role in the area's economic development, which, he said, was the priority focus of France.

He expressed happiness about the contributions of French companies to national development and the efforts to use the French language in Ghana.

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